M800 Woes...

[Sammyo]

So after all the positive, gushing reviews of the M800 I decided that I NEEDED one.

 

I went to a highly reputable store and bought a beautiful Stresemann. At first I loved it, inked it with Montblanc Albert Einstein. The nib was wonderful and a joy to write with.

 

I took it to a week long workshop and planned to get to know it while taking lots and lots of notes... After a while I noticed I gripped it on the threads... And that the threads were uncomfortable and sharp. Then I noticed that the cap kept working itself loose... Never came off, but did come loose. Then I noticed that if it was in my Sailor 10 pen case unused, the cap would work itself about a half turn loose just in the case! The cap does not feel thick enough or solid enough to tighten it any more than I do, so this seems like it will have to stay that way. If I'm honest, I feel like my M200 had the same cap issue too.

 

I still really like the pen, it's not enough to want to get rid of it... yet... and the nib is wonderful... but I feel like I'm the only one ever to have an experience other than a stunningly positive one with the M800!

 

I was wondering, has anyone else had these issues? Does anyone else feel the same as me? Am I alone in this?

[watch_art]

Give the cap a bit more torque. Don't use big muscles, but don't be so afraid to tighten the cap down. They're sturdier than you think.

[Erik Dalton]

You're not alone we've heard similar concerns before. You do need to torque down on the cap a bit more, especially if ever want to carry it In your shirt pocket. If you don't it will back off the barrel and make a mess of your shirt. I find this to be true of all Pelikans. I have seen threads where some people put resin on the threads to create enough friction and prevent the cap from backing off. I'm not a fan of adding any foreign substances to my pens. You might want to see if you can find that discussion.

As for the threads themselves, everyone is different. I tend to hold my pens higher up on the section as well. Some people are bothered by the threads. Others not so much. On this particular pen you may want to adjust your grip further down the section. M-800 threads don't bother me, but the threads on a Parker Duofold do. On the Duofold I move my grip closer to the nib.

Sounds like you are gripping the pen tightly. Look for threads on writing with your upper back/shoulders. People who do calligraphy 8 hours a day teach themselves this technique and are able to use the lightest grip and avoiding writer's fatigue.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Hold the pen lightly like a featherless baby bird.

Don't make baby bird paste like you do.

"Death Grip" is a 'normal' occurrence, that makes folks notice threads.

[Sammyo]

Hi all, thanks for the comments.

Just for the record, I've been using fountain pens for 23 years. I hold my pen like a newly hatched chick. It's that the threads are very sharp and noticeable. The only place I can hold the pen and not feel them is above the threads... And that is not comfortable at all for writing.

 

Like I said, it's not painful, just uncomfortable and more noticeable with longer writing sessions. The problem is after the long session and finding it, I now can't "un-find" it.

 

I'll try screwing the cap on a bit tighter, but as an engineer I hate over torqued threads. To me it shows a lack of attention to design, which I don't expect from Pelikan. Just a slight taper in the cap matched to the section would make a world of difference.

[Sammyo]

...I have seen threads where some people put resin on the threads to create enough friction and prevent the cap from backing off. I'm not a fan of adding any foreign substances to my pens. You might want to see if you can find that discussion...

Thanks for this, I'm like you, I'd rather not do this kind of thing. But I'll still go and look it up and see how I feel about it after reading the details 😀👍

[invisuu]

Honestly, the threads are my biggest complaint about Pelikans. It is not satisfying to tighten (unlike Platinum 3776! Try that and let me know if you still think Pelikan thread is well made), the thread damages the body where cap comes to barrel, the threads damage the barrel if you post it. It is never really secure unless you really tighten it well (and thus damage the barrel). It's just not a good thread, period.

 

As for the sharpness of the threads on the barrel - never had issues. I hold the pen at the grip section and find the nib long enough of a distance away from paper for writing to be comfortable for me, but this is obviously subjective.

[sargetalon]

There are people who have definitely taken issue with the threads in the past so I can see where you're coming from. I think its a pretty subjective thing since everyone has a slightly different writing style, pen hold, and threshold for discomfort. It has never been an issue for me and the way I write but, like I said, everybody is different. I exclusively use only Pelikan pens and have never had one come undone in my shirt pocket and this is the predominant way that I carry them. If you secure the cap snugly, it won't come undone. Pelikan designs the cap to be quickly removed in just a short twist. Also, I post all of my birds and usually do not have any issues with a posted cap coming loose. It has to be snugged on. With a little light polish, I find that this practice does not significantly result in any major wear to the barrel. It is true though that the cap will result in wear marks on the barrel after time due to the threads.

[Mulrich]

I've had various Pelikan caps come loose in my shirt pocket, a handful even coming off entirely. Despite this annoyance, I still consider the M800 one of my all time favorites.

[Erik Dalton]

I've had various Pelikan caps come loose in my shirt pocket, a handful even coming off entirely. Despite this annoyance, I still consider the M800 one of my all time favorites.

 

Yup, me too. They go in a sleeve or pen case now.

[LanceSaintPaul]

A thread about threads is it?

 

I've noticed similar with 2 M250's, although the additional torque for these is minimal and subtle.

 

I confess to having been an over-torquer with bikes and mounting cartridges for turntables...I am reformed - praise (insert your deity of choice here) !

 

Before a recent purchase of a 400nn I came upon something about them that I'm glad I did, because otherwise I might have thought it was a defect in the cap threads that needed smoothing out. On these there is a point of resistance that one must turn past - it makes a sort of click feeling. It was designed that way to secure the cap from unscrewing of its own free will. So Pelikan has addressed this in the past (I wonder if they stopped because this feeling was too frequently misinterpreted as a defect....)

 

(for you fans of 1960's pop, a wretched pun just for you)

 

Peter Torque

[BillH]

LSP, I know you're just monkeeing around. But you are right, that cap feature on the 400NN was a great deal, in my opinion, although I was a little put off by it the first time I encountered it. Would be nice to see similar efforts in today's pens...

[TheRealMikeDr]

LSP, I know you're just monkeeing around. But you are right, that cap feature on the 400NN was a great deal, in my opinion, although I was a little put off by it the first time I encountered it. Would be nice to see similar efforts in today's pens...

 

In the past I didn't think that way - but I must confess that now I'm a believer.

[Bo Bo Olson]

the threads damage the barrel if you post it.""""?????? Ah no one told you about waxing your pens.

Wax your pens.

Well an 800 is too big to post in it's awkward and ill balanced as is. So don't worry about waxing it.

 

A standard sized 200/400 or medium-large 600 if waxed don't mar and will have the great balance they should and do have.

Standard sized and medium-large pens should be posted to have great balance. IMO a P-51 un-posted has poor balance. A P-75 posted makes it one of the greatest balanced pens of all.

Wax your pens to prevent mars.

Or be happy with pens too big to post....and forget the word balance.

[Cliff O]

the threads damage the barrel if you post it.""""?????? Ah no one told you about waxing your pens.

Wax your pens.

Well an 800 is too big to post in it's awkward and ill balanced as is. So don't worry about waxing it.

 

A standard sized 200/400 or medium-large 600 if waxed don't mar and will have the great balance they should and do have.

Standard sized and medium-large pens should be posted to have great balance. IMO a P-51 un-posted has poor balance. A P-75 posted makes it one of the greatest balanced pens of all.

Wax your pens to prevent mars.

Or be happy with pens too big to post....and forget the word balance.

I've been posting my M1000 (wax FREE haha) since I got it in '99. It feels too light (un-balanced) when not posted. It's rarely been removed from my daily rotation and there is only minimal wear at the posting spot on the barrel. I bet I could buff it out if I cared enough to bother.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Finger only polishing with something like Semi-Chrome will polish out the mar. I'm glad a small mar don't bother you.............many get upset at them.

So I advocate polishing out the mar and waxing the pen afterwards, along with posting standard (200/400) and medium-large pens. (600)

An army of engineers using dead elephant slap-sticks sought perfect balance in top of the line pens, that is not even asked for in modern CC pens.

 

You are unusual..... in posting your 1000. Most do not post one, nor the 800. Good for you.

[Sammyo]

To any moderators out there. My question has been answered and things are now starting to get rude and somewhat offensive, could you close this thread please. Thank you.

[Ron Z]

Funny thing about threads. You give birth to them when you hit "send" button on the original post, but they often take on a life of their own that the OP never expected.

[praxim]

To any moderators out there. My question has been answered and things are now starting to get rude and somewhat offensive, could you close this thread please. Thank you.

Find the post(s) you consider offensive then click the "Report" button. Moderators will give that prompt attention.

[Sammyo]

Find the post(s) you consider offensive then click the "Report" button. Moderators will give that prompt attention.

Hi Praxim, thanks for the advice. I don't think it has got there yet, but I can feel it heading in that direction.

I'll hold off until it is offensive, but was hoping it could be closed before it reached that point 🙂